Do they? I was wondering if they do because I figured it would be a good idea for a Guard regiment that basically brings its world with it as it fights, allowing it to field and replace a whole lot of equipment very quickly.

I never heard of anything like this in any case beside the Eldar, and it might be totally ridiculous. :angel:

Inq. Veltane

05-09-2006, 14:11

The best the Imperium has are some huge AdMech ships...they are bigger than cities but nothing compared to a Craftworld. It would be like comparing Wales to China.

Lord Dante

05-09-2006, 14:17

WHat about those blackstone fortresses - Which is a bit cheaty as the Eldar made them... but the imperium does have a few.

Inq. Veltane

05-09-2006, 14:22

But Blackstones are, again, nowhere near a Craftworld in scale...besides which the Imperium lost all of theirs...and they could never move whilst under Imperial control anyway!

Sai-Lauren

05-09-2006, 14:22

IMO, the fleet based marine chapters would be as close as the Imperium gets (especially the Imperial Fists with Phalanx).

Otherwise, no. It would promote too much autonomy, and we all know where that leads.

Yep, free thinking.;)

Ko Improbable

05-09-2006, 15:24

Another "the closest they have" thing: Which Chapter it is that has it escapes me, but one of the Space Marine Chapters has a large asteroid or something that they stuck warp engines on and use it as their home.

Lord Dante

05-09-2006, 15:28

Good point - the Dark Angels 'Rock' is probably the closest thing - And dont the Blacl Templars have somthing similar to the Rock aswell?

Hideous Loon

05-09-2006, 15:30

No, I don't think so. (This comment comes from the time before Codex: Black Templars, and might therefore be incorrect.) The main thing about BTs is that they are scattered around the galaxy, this being a method to hide the fact that there are far too many BTs.

Ravenheart

05-09-2006, 19:50

How about the Phalax (sp?) the homefortress of the Imperial Fists? Last time I read about it, it seemed to me as a kind of 40k deathstar. No idea about size or mass though.

As Dante said, the 'Rock' of the dark angels, is also an candidate, but I think it's still smaller than a craftworld. Those are supposed to be so large, that they are unable to usetilize warptravel, and must rely on conventional space travel.

Havoc

05-09-2006, 21:56

Yeah theres a few descriptions of what the phallanx looks likee, I prefer it to be a massive ship rather than death star rip off, also think of the dark angels monastary the 'rock' which is the largest part of caliban after it was blown to pieces.

Gounta

05-09-2006, 22:31

I think that High Marshall Helbrecht's ship (think its called "The Eternal Crusader") rivals or beats "The Phalanx" in size

Dominus Doloris

05-09-2006, 22:46

No, I don't think so. (This comment comes from the time before Codex: Black Templars, and might therefore be incorrect.) The main thing about BTs is that they are scattered around the galaxy, this being a method to hide the fact that there are far too many BTs.

Yeah, the templars are way too spread out, they are fleet-based yes, but possess nothing like the Rock, just alot of troopers and ships...

I've also heard that the Eternal Crusader is larger, but it is still a ship, not a fortress like the Phalanx..

VetSgtNamaan

05-09-2006, 23:45

Yes 'The Rock' is as large or larger than the largest spacehulks. It has void shields so powerful protecting the tower of angels even the destruction of the planet could not destroy them. While it can function as a ship I would say it is more like a very large mobile battle station like the one they mention in starship troopers.

Voronwe[MQ]

27-09-2006, 19:04

Mobile space battle station I believe there is quite a few, let's call 'em Suppressors, as I can easily see their role as suppressing uprisings brutally. But size anywhere near a Craftworl?

Ardathair

28-09-2006, 04:16

The Ramlies Star Forts appear to be the largest space stations regularly produced by the Imperium, and they are no where near the size of a Craftworld, only a little smaller than a Blackstone Fortress.

It is more a matter of practicality than ability. If the Imperium saw a need for space stations of that size I am certain that they could construct them, but Eldar built Craftworlds to live on permanently, Humans live on planets primarily and space stations/ships secondarily.

Shadowfax

28-09-2006, 05:13

It is more a matter of practicality than ability. If the Imperium saw a need for space stations of that size I am certain that they could construct them, but Eldar built Craftworlds to live on permanently, Humans live on planets primarily and space stations/ships secondarily.
Wouldn't the Imperium require STCs to build something like that?

And if such STCs currently existed, I'm sure they would be in use.

Nachtmeister

28-09-2006, 09:02

The board game "Attack on Iyanden"(hope I recall the name correctly) was played on a board depicting Iyanden(surprise, surprise). There were some at least moon sized structures resembling planets within the ship itself. Therefore the craftworld must have at minimum the size of earth herself if not larger. I highly doubt that the Imperium could built such a massive structure.

Scythe

28-09-2006, 09:16

Well, I imagine building wouldn't be the problem. Get it moving without crashing into the nearest planet/star would be a bit more tricky I think.

Atherakhia

28-09-2006, 12:55

I'd agree -- The Rock is probably the closest thing to a Craftworld the Imperium has.

It was a large chunk of Caliban (also containing the Tower of Angels) that was separated when Caliban was destroyed

Can You Smell What The Rock Is Cooking?

Lord Dante

28-09-2006, 13:30

Other large objects of W40k interest will be the Dyson Sphere... as large in diameter as a planets orbit.

Ikkaan

28-09-2006, 13:35

For those who have a copy of "The Sabbat Worlds Crusade"...there is a note on an imperial "Fortress World" (and also a flabberghasting photo of a lumbering monstrosity). Would this count ? I never read anything about it in later fluff and they are probably lost after the Crusade.

Atherakhia

28-09-2006, 13:35

what's that?

ArtificerArmour

28-09-2006, 13:58

http://www.specialist-games.com/assets/doomoftheeldar.pdf

http://www.specialist-games.com/assets/Yriels.pdf

By far the best resource for Craftworld information I've read recently. Goes indepth into Yriel and Iyaden. There's even some vintage john blanche artwork of a craftworld in them.

astrocortex

28-09-2006, 17:25

The Rock is probably the sings largest "ship" the imperium has. IIRC The Black Templars 'command ship' was just a Battle Barge that had been refitted so many times it had grown to around double it's size.

I'd guess the largest vessels the imperium has are the Adeptus Explorator fleet.

Ardathair

29-09-2006, 06:10

Wouldn't the Imperium require STCs to build something like that?

And if such STCs currently existed, I'm sure they would be in use.

The Ramlies Star Forts are based on an STC. Making one offs of larger size would not require STCs. STC helps with mass production not with unique creations.